Solid Black Maine Coon Cats: Genetics, Care & Cattery Guide

With their glossy, velvet-like coats, striking gold or green eyes, and majestic tufted ears, solid black Maine Coons look like miniature panthers walking through your home. But behind that fierce, wild appearance is the exact same sweet, dog-like personality that makes the Maine Coon famous.

As a TICA-registered Maine Coon breeder, I’ve raised breathtaking solid black and black smoke kittens, and I know firsthand how their unique coat genetics, sun-bleaching ‘rusting’ traits, and eye colors develop as they mature. As one of the 80+ colors and patterns of a Maine Coon cat, it’s one of my favorites!

Whether you are curious about the genetics behind solid colored coats or searching for your dream black kitten, this guide covers everything you need to know about the black Maine Coon cat.

Can Maine Coons be solid black?

Yes! Maine Coons can be solid black due to the recessive non-agouti gene. The common word used for non-agouti is “solid”. In the cat world, a solid cat means there is no tabby-patterned markings in the fur.

The Genetics Behind Solid Black Coats

Every kitten gets two copies of each gene — one from mom and one from dad. Think of genes like a recipe book that tells the kitten’s body how to grow. One of those recipes controls coat color. For black Maine Coon cats, the star of the show is a gene that makes a pigment called eumelanin.

Eumelanin is the ingredient that creates black color in the fur. When a Maine Coon has the black version of this gene, their body produces lots of this dark pigment, and you get that gorgeous, inky black coat.

• Both parents are solid black Maine Coons.
• Both parents are black tabby, and both carry the non-agouti gene.
• One solid black parent and one tabby carrier.
• A tortie Queen bred to a solid- or non-agouti-carrier male.

But here’s where it gets interesting. Having black pigment isn’t enough to make a cat solid black. Most cats are actually born with a tabby pattern hiding in their genes — those stripes and swirls you see on so many Maine Coons. For a cat to be solid black with no stripes at all, they need something called the non-agouti gene. I like to think of this gene as a paint roller. The tabby pattern is still written in the cat’s DNA, but the non-agouti gene rolls solid black paint right over it, covering up the stripes completely.

Here’s a fun fact: if you look at a solid black Maine Coon kitten in bright sunlight, you can sometimes see faint “ghost stripes” in their coat. Those are the hidden tabby markings peeking through before the coat fully darkens. As the kitten grows, the black pigment usually covers them up, and the ghost stripes fade away.

A kitten only needs one copy of the black gene to be black, because black is what we call dominant — it’s a strong gene that shows up even if the other parent passes down something different. The non-agouti gene works the opposite way. It’s recessive, which means the kitten needs two copies, one from each parent, for the solid look to appear. If a kitten only gets one copy, the tabby pattern wins, and you’ll see stripes.

This is why two tabby Maine Coons can sometimes surprise you with a solid black kitten! If both parents secretly carry one copy of the non-agouti gene, there’s a chance their kitten will inherit both copies and come out solid black. Genetics loves to keep us breeders on our toes.

Watch this Video With Awesome Images of Maine Coons

The 5-minute video below was produced by Robert Sijka, one of the most famous Maine Coon photographers in the world. If you’ve ever searched for a “black Maine Coon”, you’ve most certainly discovered his art. Feast your eyes on this video and then have every reason to love these cats! You’ll be in a trance in no time.

Imagine a 25-pound sleek, sexy black cat prancing through your home. His eyes are a strikingly brilliant copper color that glows in the sunlight. The glorious coat is pristine and glossy, just like that of a wild cat. Beautiful ears are tall with long lynx tips that blow in the wind.

Equally important, he lounges around on his massively sized cat tree. He resembles one of the most majestic animals on our planet. He looks like a black panther. But he approaches his human with dignity and grace. He’s purring like a motorboat and flops down on the sofa next to you. You take a selfie and post it on social media. The crowd goes wild. 1,000,000 likes and shares in 2 days. They’ve never seen such a cat!

Why do black Maine Coon coats turn reddish-brown?

“Rusting” is a condition where the black coat turns red or reddish-brown. The red color looks like the coat is bleached from the sun. However, healthy coats do not bleach from the sun.The most perfect of black Maine Coons will show no ghost pattern and no variation of color. They will be completely and entirely solid black.

• The Culprit: insufficient dietary tyrosine.
• The Science: Standard cat food has about 4.5g of tyrosine, but research shows that black coats need at least 18g to prevent fading.
• The Fix: Consult your vet about increasing dietary protein.

The current recommended feline dietary concentration is 4.5 g tyrosine for optimal growth. However, experiments show that these levels were not sufficient to maintain a black coat. At least 18 g is recommended for the prevention of visually discernible red hair in black-coated cats.

Therefore, if your black cat is eating a diet with less than 18g of tyrosine, the coat may turn reddish. Increasing the protein in your cat’s diet will help rejuvenate the coat back to a nice glossy black.

*(Always consult with your veterinarian before changing your cats’ diet or adding any supplements).

Photos of Black Maine Coon Cats from Sassy Koonz Cattery

We’re always pleasantly surprised when a black kitten is produced in our cattery. Since 2017, we’ve only seen a handful. Below are a few photos of the mini panthers that have graced our presence.

Sassy Koonz has Solid Black Maine Coons

I choose top-quality breeding cats that have splendid coats and patterns. These cats have the colors that I wish to produce. By doing this, I can really perfect the color and coats that come out of my cattery. For example, my goal is to produce very beautiful black kittens. I should select a male with a beautiful black coat. I should also choose a female with the same beautiful black coat. This will be my best choice for a breeding pair.

sassykoonz

My name is Tracy Caywood. I live in Jacksonville Beach, Florida, and I'm the Guardian of the Sassy Koonz Maine Coon kittens. My goal and passion is to provide you with education, inspiration, and healthy, well-socialized beautiful Maine Coon babies that you'll love forever. My breeding journey started in 2017, and the cattery has flourished into one of the most sought-after catteries in the United States.

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